is my job too dangerous to work until I deliver???

Question

I'm 32 weeks on Thursday, my job is as a behavior technician at a mental health facility for children with autism& other behavioral disorders. Ages range from 4 years old to 16.

We are trained to do specific holds/restraints allowed by state. I've been head butted in the chest, kicked, punched, bir, peed, and spit on. It wasn't a big deal to me when I wasn't pregnant, but my job still won't recognize that I would like to be away from the violent kids who kick/punch/bite because I am worried about my belly getting hit, or me falling. Yet today I had 6 big kids 13 & older by myself and got kicked, pushed,& bit twice. My belly was safe, but I had a headache& my belly ached from tending up from the anxiety it caused me for the rest of the day.

I planned on working up until I go into labor but I don't think it's too unreasonable any more to use my vacation time to be off a week and a half before I'm due. I'm due the 15th of December & I wanted to be done at the end of November. How long before you're due are you guys stopping your jobs? Any suggestions?

Answer

What does your doctor say??

Answer

You could also see about switching to overnights until you give birth. You would still have the same job but the clients are asleep so less risk.

Answer

I used to work as a behavior tech at a psychiatric hospital and when heavily pregnant you can get put on light duty (no restraints). Considering the environment I would talk to your doctor about it. I work as as therapist now in residential treatment. I think going out end of November would be fine as long as you can make it until then

Answer

Thanks everyone, I have a check up tomorrow I'm going to talk to my doctor about it once again. We do have the option most of the time to switch people out to not be with violent clients but we had two people quit and one on a honeymoon so it's been especially worse with my schedule. And they are going to try to hire but haven't yet and there's a 2 week gap for training when someone is hired so I feel like it'll be basically the end of my time there before I get a break. 
I would love to work a night shift but my facility is closed by 530pm because we are mental health facility/school we transition 
children into typical schools from ours.

I'm going to ask my Dr what she recommends on when maybe I should start my leave because I have a week vacation time and wanted to use it before my leave behind, I also was a 10pound baby and my husband was a 9 pound baby, and I'll be 37 weeks on thanksgiving day and the Dr made a comment that if she's big by that time I could go at any time from thanksgiving to my due date December 15th! And I'm worried that I'm going to be stressed at work and it's going to make me have her earlier than I wanted to bc I never relax.

I Feel like it'll be worth it to start my leave earlier than later so I can be calm and finish up things. 38 weeks sounds good to me to start leave... I just didn't know if that was a common thing for people to not work up until birth.

Thanks again everyone 😊

Answer

I used to teach in a classroom for emotional disturbance. Very similar doing restraints. I'm the beginning of my pregnancy I restrained a student. When my boss found out, she wasn't too happy. Are there other people who can switch in when there is a crisis so you can be removed? If not, I would use sick time

Answer

I'm a police officer- they take us off the road at 20 weeks. That being said I have been with a high risk ob I completely trust from the beginning and he said "if you get in such a fight that you hurt the baby you have way bigger problems to worry about". But I still came off the road anyway- not worth the risk.

is my job too dangerous to work until I deliver???

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